Sunday, March 23

Creamy Goat Cheese and Beet Green Pasta

A few weeks ago at the farmers' market I asked for a bunch of beets. The farmer grabbed a beautiful bunch: five crimson colored globes topped with remarkably long, red stalks and large, crisp leafy greens. I could practically taste them.

Then right in front of my eyes, before I could utter a word, he beheaded my beautiful beets and flung the greens into a dirty cardboard box with other sad, misfit vegetables.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"What? You didn't want them did you?" he asked, incredulous.Didn't want them?! The beet greens are the best part.

It made me miss Carlos, the farmer from whom I bought beets all last year when we lived in LA. One Sunday when Carlos saw me coming, he ran from the table into the back of his van. He motioned me to follow him. When I reached the back of the van, he uncovered a big box full of fresh bunches of beet greens and flashed me a smile. "For me?" I asked. "For you, Miss."

I actually got a little welled up. In the midst of a bustling market, he thought to save me the beet greens and was less concerned with making extra money off of them than of making me happy.

Though no one could ever replace kind-hearted Carlos, I've met a new, super nice farmer, Sam. The first time I bought beets from Sam, I commented on how beautiful the beets greens were; he asked, "Would you like some more?"

"Really, are you sure you don't want them?" I asked.

"Yeah, you can have them," he said.

Imagine. Giving beet greens away. What is the world coming to?

If you've never cooked with beet greens, then you're in for a treat. They taste similar to Swiss chard (slightly earthy and nutty) and are a delicious alternative to spinach. Though they can be eaten raw in salads, I prefer them cooked, which softens their texture and draws out their flavor.

Beet greens are true health food: One cup of cooked beets greens is only 39 calories and provides 220% (that's not a typo) of your daily vitamin A (for healthy eyes, cells, skin, and hair) and 60% of your daily vitamin C (a health-promoting antioxidant). It's also full of other nutritious vitamins and minerals. See below for tips on selecting, storing, and cooking with beet greens.

Though you can use any type of pasta you prefer for this creamy goat cheese and beet green pasta, I bought freshly made fettucine from Assenti's Pasta here in Little Italy. With so few ingredients in this dish, the light and chewy fresh pasta really stands out. It bears little resemblance to the dried boxed variety. Plus the creamy goat cheese sauce clings deliciously to it as you twirl it on your fork.Creamy Goat Cheese and Beet Green PastaServes 4Print recipe only here.

To prepare the beet greens, cut off the thick stalks. Submerge greens in a large bowl of cool water to remove dirt. Drain, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry. Remove any tough inner stalks of the beet green leaves, then slice cross-wise into thin strips. Set aside.

In a deep, heavy pot, cook pasta in salted water according to directions, preferably al dente. If using fresh, it should cook within 3-5 minutes.

In a large skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced beet greens, until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the cream and goat cheese until well blended. Add to the skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken slightly. Add fresh thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss until well coated. Divide among two plates; top with pistachios and extra grated cheese. Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestion-- This pasta pairs well with spicy and fruity salads, such as:

Look for unwilted, green leaves with bright red spines. If they're shriveled or full of holes, then skip 'em.

To prepare beet greens, cut off the thick stalks. Submerge greens in a large bowl of cool water to remove dirt. Drain, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry. Remove any tough inner stalks of the beet green leaves. Wrap loosely in paper towel and place in a Ziploc bag or an air-tight plastic container. They should last 2-3 days in the refrigerator this way. You can also remove the beet greens and store them unwashed in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days, assuming they weren't too old when you purchased them.

If you aren't going to use your beet greens right away, then clean them as usual and par-boil them by dropping them in boiling water for about 1 minute; remove and plunge into a bowl of ice water. Shocking the greens will keep them bright and beautiful. Drain, and store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Other delicious ways to enjoy beets greens:

Thinly sliced and added raw to salads

Sauteed in olive oil and garlic, and placed on crostini with goat or blue cheese

Added to vegetable soups and stews

Added to frittatas with cheese such as ricotta, Parmesan, or goat

Simply sauteed in olive oil and garlic, then topped with raisins and toasted pine nuts

ARgh! I've just been to California and I still have no idea what chard/ beet greens are like. Sigh. Something for my next visit, I guess. I have no idea where all the tops of the beets here in the supermarkets go!! It's so annoying!

thanks for all this great information - I have been told beet greens are good for me but I have a mental block - probably related to my swiss chard mental block - am trying to overcome it and need to hear from people who love them - I will try harder :-)

What a nice post, with beautiful pictures and healthy info! YOu know, I never eat beets, I don't think I've seen them in the market... now, I want to try them your way! YOur post reminded me of a story my father once told me: when he was young, his mother would only use the branch of the swiss chard and his mother in law (my other grandmom) would use only the green! He convinced both to use the whole thing!!! :D

To read your post Susan you'd think beet greens would cure the world of all evil and unhealth! My grandmother was always fixing beet greens and I'm sure I ate them but now I don't remember them. I'm going to make it a point of trying them this spring. Beautiful bowl and gorgeous colors all over here!

Great post! I will have to give the greens a try. I just bought the beet orbs for the first time this weekend - thought they looked a bit nakkid, but what do I know?!?! Next time I buy beets I'll make sure to have the green. You make them sound so delightful.

I also have to make it clear that I want the greens, not just the beets. And I have also got home with an overflowing bag of greens. I usually make frittata with them. I agree with you that they are really tasty. I am wondering: what happens to the green cut of from beets sold loose? Great post, as always.

How to explain the perfect marriage between beets and goats? And then, throwing the greens together with fresh pasta. Well, nothing more needs to be said. I like the addition of pistachios, too. So green and crunchy.

Thanks for this information Susan! I'm not a beet fan at all, so I never even thought of the greens. They look really good! Oh and I love your wildflower pictures below. I've always had a soft spot for wildflowers. I think they're some of the most beautiful flowers around even if they are weeds.

i almost started crying when the farmer in our farmer's market chopped the greens from beets and just packed beets:) i love its earthy flavour and usually use it in indian dals. now u got me drooling at this recipe susan. thank you:)

I love beet greens and I did a similar recipe last year which is on the Blog, not as classy as this mind! Hope you had a great Easter. I'm ashamed to say we didn't do the rice cake recipe :o( but it is on the list of To Dos

What a truly lovely man Carlos sounds to be. I'm always a bit intimidated by whole beets since I never know how best to prep them, so I haven't had the pleasure of beet greens. I know that I have some beets coming in my veg box next week, so I'll have to wait and see if the tops are still on.

Susan, what another really lovely story. I adore beet greens: got that from my dear mother. There was never a year she didn't plant beets in her garden. We had them in soup, in salads, in pasta (but yours looks extra yummy), and steamed with butter. Oh, how I love beets and their greens. I nearly came to tears when I read the word Ramona at the end of your post (the blogger you mention) ... that was my dear mother's name. Not common. Miss her immensely and will be growing my own beets this year once the snow melts.

what a cute story! you're lucky you have such nice people at your farmer's market - i haven't found that here in dallas. i need to eat more veggies but need to find ways to cook them so i like them... i love that you seem to eat a lot of healthy dishes :)

Sadly, I have never really liked beets, so the issue of beet greens has never really arisen. It's a pity because by the sound of things they are the best part of the beet :o) Love those green pasta bowls!

I worked at a farmer's market and most people do NOT want their greens...so I made a habit, whenever anyone said they wanted their greens, to give them the pile that had built up under the table! They were always happy, and I was always happy to find a home for them. Otherwise, they just would have been tossed.

Wonderful recipe!I'm new to beet greens, having just gotten a few handsful from the CSA we joined this year. They were baby beet greens from the farmers thinning the beets. So tasty! I LOVE the color of this dish!